Network Unlock Trick - Genuine?

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Feb 18, 2013
34
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About to buy a note 3, but its locked to vodafone (UK), did a quick search and stumbled upon http://motoringcrunch.com/news/how-to-unlock-samsung-galaxy-note-3/1005670/ . It reads:

Owners of Samsung devices that are locked, such as the Samsung Galaxy S3, the S4 and even the Note 2 and 3 can now unlock their devices thanks to an engineer code that has leaked. Once the devices have been unlocked they can be used around the world with any carrier.

For example if you purchased the Samsung Galaxy Note 3 with Verizon then you can only use the locked device with that carrier. However once the handset is unlocked you can then send it over seas and let a friend use it with any SIM card.

To unlock your Samsung Galaxy Note 3 take the SIM card out and put one in that belongs to another carrier. You should then switch off the handset and then switch it back on again.

Go over to the dial pad and then put in *#197328640#. Go to your main menu > [1] UMTS > [1] Debug Screen > [8] Phone Control > [6] Network Lock > Options [3] Perso SHA256 OFF. Wait for 30 seconds or a minute before going back to your main menu and choosing “back”. You will now see a “Network Lock” message. Choose [4] NW Lock NV Data INITIALLIZ.

If you typed in the sequence right, it should read: “Asterisk Pound One Nine Seven Three Two Eight Six Four Zero Pound”. Remember that some people call the asterisk “star”, and the pound button “hash”.

If all has gone well you will now own Samsung Galaxy Note 3 that is unlocked and which can be used with any carrier anywhere around the world. Engineers have been using the code to unlock Samsung handsets for a long time and so it could work with many different devices.

Is this genuine? Otherwise is there another way I can unlock the network for free? Flashing a rom or otherwise?

Thanks in advance Appreciate any help :)
 

radicalisto

Senior Member
Nov 13, 2013
3,729
1,511
York
Have seen it posted before, some claim it works, some don't. Depends on the model/carrier used etc. Only way to truly tell is by testing it. Failing that, if it doesn't work then you can pay for an unlock for around $15 or so AFAIK
 

radicalisto

Senior Member
Nov 13, 2013
3,729
1,511
York
There's a Russian one that does it for around that. Begins with a P can't remember the name of it now. But it's in this note 3 section somewhere

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alom5

Senior Member
Dec 4, 2010
880
208
You can just pay £20 Vodafone and they'll unlock it for you, and no messing about with Russian websites.

I got mine (Vodafone locked) unlocked by 3 uk for free. There's a thread about it if you wanna try that way...

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pifsworld

Senior Member
May 1, 2010
344
31
Could you tell me how you got 3 UK to unlock your Vodafone note 3 for free I'm Locked to orange and want to use my 3uk sim.

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alom5

Senior Member
Dec 4, 2010
880
208
Call up 3 from your 3 sim and follow the instructions on there and give them the imei number of the phone you want unlocked. Few days later they will text you the unlock code. There is a thread on it if you search for it

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pifsworld

Senior Member
May 1, 2010
344
31
I have seen this free unlock done on YouTube but only with the note2 and s3 not sure if it works on a note3. Worth a try.

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Last edited:

warboat

Senior Member
Dec 20, 2005
76
22
Melbourne
Engineer Code unlock

I used to have a Note 2 and used the engineer code method as mentioned in the opening post and can confirm that it does SIM unlock the Note 2.
I haven't been able to test it on a locked Note 3 as mine is already SIM unlocked.
 

shayind4

Senior Member
Mar 24, 2008
540
97
London
I can confirm that the 'Network unlock trick/Engineer code' did not work on my UK Vodafone network-locked International Note 3 as i could not proceed from the service mode using *#0011#. I searched the efs folder in vain for the hidden menu to activate the service mode (which appears deactivated by Samsung in 4.4). I told Vodafone customer service yesterday that i'd be going abroad and needed the unlock code for the 3 months old contract phone, and moaned and groaned about the £20 cost which was reduced to £10. Unlock code expected in a few days time.
 

jjbk

Member
Feb 16, 2013
39
1
its apparently a law now (in australia at least) that they cant lock you, you have the right to use a different sim if you want. so its pretty easy here to you just call your provider and bam it gets donw. my note 3 is thru optus and its unlocked from factory
 

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    Call up 3 from your 3 sim and follow the instructions on there and give them the imei number of the phone you want unlocked. Few days later they will text you the unlock code. There is a thread on it if you search for it

    Sent from my SM-N9005 using Tapatalk